Alternatives
Best Mailchimp Alternatives for Agencies (2026)
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Mailchimp is a solid choice, but it does not fit every agency. ActiveCampaign: Marketing automation and CRM with email and SMS. Brevo: Email, SMS and WhatsApp marketing with transactional email and CRM. HubSpot: CRM and sales software with a free tier. Prices and ratings below were checked in October 2026.
What are the best Mailchimp alternatives for agencies in 2026?
Mailchimp is easy and familiar, but prices climb with contacts, automation is limited on lower plans, and its servers are US-only.
We compared each option with Mailchimp on price, automation, and public ratings, so you can see what you would gain and give up by switching. Price your real list size first.
The three alternatives below are the usual comparisons: an automation platform, a low-cost multichannel tool, and a full CRM.
The shortlist is ActiveCampaign, Brevo, HubSpot. The table puts them next to Mailchimp.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 4.1 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free for 250 contacts. Essentials $13, Standard $20 and Premium $350 a month at the smallest contact tier (500 contacts, 10,000 for Premium); prices rise with contacts. | Small teams to mid-size |
| ActiveCampaign | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.4 | 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts. | Small to enterprise teams |
| Brevo | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.5 | Free plan. Starter $8.08, Standard $16.17 and Professional $449.08 a month on annual billing ($9, $18 and $499 monthly); Enterprise from $2,499 a month. | Small to enterprise teams |
| HubSpot | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free tools for up to 2 users. Sales Hub Starter $7 and Professional $90 per seat per month on annual billing ($20 and $100 monthly); Enterprise starts at $150 per seat. | Small teams to enterprises |
Why do agencies look for Mailchimp alternatives?
Agencies usually look beyond Mailchimp for deeper automation, lower cost at large lists, or SMS and transactional email.
Others want a CRM alongside email.
Common limitations of Mailchimp
- Prices scale with contacts and the stated figures are for the smallest tier.
- Free has no automation, and Essentials limits flows to 4 steps.
- Premium costs $350 a month from 10,000 contacts.
- Data is hosted in US data centers, and client accounts for agencies were not stated.
Is ActiveCampaign a good Mailchimp alternative for agencies?
ActiveCampaign offers deep automation, a built-in CRM, and more than 1,000 integrations. It costs more and is priced by contacts.
ActiveCampaign combines email marketing, multi-step automation, a built-in CRM, landing pages and SMS (as an add-on) with more than 1,000 integrations and 950 automation recipes. It sells Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans priced by contact tier, each with a 14-day trial.
Who it suits: Agencies that build detailed automation and lifecycle journeys for clients and want a CRM alongside email.
ActiveCampaign pros
- Plans from $15 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts, with a 14-day trial.
- More than 1,000 integrations and 950+ automation recipes.
- Unlimited automation actions from Plus, plus landing pages and a CRM.
- MFA on every account, SSO, and a SOC 2 report through its Trust Center.
ActiveCampaign cons
- Prices shown are annual at 1,000 contacts; monthly prices were not shown.
- Starter limits automations to 5 actions and includes only 1 user.
- SMS and pipelines are paid add-ons.
- Client accounts for agencies and data hosting regions were not stated.
Is Brevo a good Mailchimp alternative for agencies?
Brevo is cheaper by send volume and adds SMS, WhatsApp, and transactional email on every plan. It has fewer integrations.
Brevo is a customer platform with email marketing, SMS, WhatsApp, marketing automation, transactional email and sales tools. It has a free plan with 300 emails a day and priced plans by send volume, from Starter to Professional and Enterprise.
Who it suits: Agencies that want low-cost email with SMS and transactional sending, especially for EU-focused clients.
Brevo pros
- A free plan with 300 emails a day and transactional email features on every plan.
- Starter from $8.08 a month on annual billing.
- Unlimited automated multi-step workflows from Standard.
- Email, SMS and WhatsApp channels, with 150+ integrations.
Brevo cons
- Professional costs $449.08 a month on annual billing and Enterprise starts at $2,499 a month.
- Starter has basic reporting and no marketing automation.
- Security certifications and hosting regions were not captured (the security page returned an error).
- Only Professional lists phone support, and a mobile app was not stated.
Is HubSpot a good Mailchimp alternative for agencies?
HubSpot is a CRM with a free tier and a large marketplace. It is a broader and pricier platform than an email tool.
HubSpot Smart CRM and Sales Hub combine contact management, deal pipelines, sequences, forecasting and AI agents on one platform, with a free tier and Starter, Professional and Enterprise plans priced per seat. It has more than 2,000 app marketplace integrations and a Solutions Partner Program for agencies.
Who it suits: Agencies that want a mainstream CRM for their own sales pipeline, with a free start and room to grow into marketing and service tools.
HubSpot pros
- Free CRM tools for up to two users with no credit card.
- Starter from $7 per seat per month on annual billing.
- More than 2,000 integrations in the app marketplace.
- SOC 2 Type 2 report, GDPR consent tools, 2FA and an EU data center option.
HubSpot cons
- Professional costs $90 per seat per month and requires a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee.
- Enterprise requires a one-time $3,500 onboarding fee.
- Advanced SAML SSO is enterprise tier only.
- Client accounts and multi-account features for agencies were not stated.
What is the quick verdict on each Mailchimp alternative?
If you only have a minute, this table gives our verdict on each alternative to Mailchimp, based on the research above.
| Tool | Verdict | Editorial score |
|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | A strong automation platform with a CRM, 1,000+ integrations and SOC 2 evidence. Plans are priced by contacts and shown annually only, user seats are limited on lower plans, and agency client-account features were not stated. | 4.3 / 5 |
| Brevo | A low-cost email platform with transactional email on every plan and SMS and WhatsApp channels. Prices are by send volume and automation starts on Standard, and security detail was not captured because its security page returned an error. | 4.2 / 5 |
| HubSpot | A strong, well-supported CRM with a free tier, SOC 2 Type 2 evidence and a huge integration marketplace. Entry pricing is low but jumps sharply at Professional, which also carries a one-time onboarding fee, and agency-specific client account features were not stated on the pricing page. | 4.4 / 5 |
How much do Mailchimp and its alternatives cost?
Mailchimp Essentials starts at $13 a month for 500 contacts. ActiveCampaign Starter costs $15 a month at 1,000 contacts, Brevo Starter costs $8.08 a month, and HubSpot Sales Hub Starter costs $7 per seat.
| Tool | Pricing summary |
|---|---|
| Mailchimp | Free for 250 contacts. Essentials $13, Standard $20 and Premium $350 a month at the smallest contact tier (500 contacts, 10,000 for Premium); prices rise with contacts. |
| ActiveCampaign | 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts. |
| Brevo | Free plan. Starter $8.08, Standard $16.17 and Professional $449.08 a month on annual billing ($9, $18 and $499 monthly); Enterprise from $2,499 a month. |
| HubSpot | Free tools for up to 2 users. Sales Hub Starter $7 and Professional $90 per seat per month on annual billing ($20 and $100 monthly); Enterprise starts at $150 per seat. |
What do reviewers say about Mailchimp and its alternatives?
Review-site scores are a useful signal for how happy teams are after the first few months. They are snapshots from October 2026, and review counts differ widely between tools.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 5,436 |
| ActiveCampaign | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,813 |
| Brevo | G2 | 4.5 / 5 | 2,768 |
| HubSpot | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,365 |
Which Mailchimp alternative suits which kind of agency?
The right pick depends mostly on team size, how clients interact with the tool, and whether you need money data. This table maps common situations to a recommendation.
| Agency situation | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Automation-heavy clients | ActiveCampaign | Deeper journeys and a CRM. |
| High-volume senders | Brevo | Low cost by send volume. |
| CRM-led teams | HubSpot | A free CRM with email. |
How hard is it to switch away from Mailchimp?
Export your audiences and tags from Mailchimp before you leave. Campaign reports will not transfer.
Rebuild templates and automation flows in the new tool.
Warm up sending on the new platform and keep Mailchimp running until deliverability is stable.
Before you leave Mailchimp
- List your audiences, templates, and flows.
- Check consent records for the list.
- Compare cost at your contact count.
- Export audiences.
- Warm up the new sender.
How do you choose the right Mailchimp alternative?
Decide how much automation you need.
Compare contact-based and send-based pricing for your lists.
A quick decision guide
- Choose ActiveCampaign for deep automation.
- Choose Brevo for low-cost, high-volume sending.
- Choose HubSpot for a CRM with email.
- Stay with Mailchimp for simple, familiar email.
- Price each tool at your real list size.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best Mailchimp alternative?
- ActiveCampaign for automation, Brevo for low-cost volume, and HubSpot for a CRM.
- Why do agencies look beyond Mailchimp?
- Contact-based price growth, limited automation on low plans, and US-only hosting.
- Which alternative is cheapest?
- Brevo, by send volume.
- Which alternative has a CRM?
- ActiveCampaign and HubSpot.
- Does Mailchimp have a free plan?
- Yes, for up to 250 contacts.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Mailchimp pricing page
- ActiveCampaign pricing page
- Brevo pricing page
- HubSpot pricing page